Advanced Front Speaker Systems How-to

I haven't actually installed the Extremis yet.  The 3/4" rings will fit behind the grills without a problem.  You will have to cut the metal to widen the hole though.  The speakers I have in there right now have a 3" mounting depth, and I believe there is enough room for another 1/2" to clear the Extremis.

Steven Kephart

Adire Audio 

greetings 12V philosophers!

Yes I'm the new kid on the block, so tis indeed was a great learning experience for me.  I only wish I knew any of this before I wasted 4500 on a set of Focal 3-ways for my 3000gt.  I've since replaced them with MBQs (more space left, same SQ)

Thanks everybody!!

   Excellent thread loaded with lots of good information. I believe proper crossover's are key to making a good system into a better and better into excellent. Let me ask you one thing please, Do you prefer to use the cross-over settings on either the head unit, EQ, or Amp? I have also been playing around with the MaxxBass 103 signal processor for delivering accurate mid-bass to the front stage.

Steven Kephart great opening post. Very valid posts. Not sure where you are with your XDP-4000X. I have a CDX-C90 and had a XDP4000X. I liked the xover ease of use and design I found the time alignment greatly degraded the sound.

I had a 4 way Focal system in my Eclipse. Changed out the Focal tweeters (too harsh) for B&G Neo 3's. Love those. Had them xover to Focal 4. Both in an enclosure on by the a-arm in the front of the dash. Then going down to an 8 in the doors. I eventually took out the 4s and went with the B&G's on the dash and the 8's in the doors angled up towards the windshield with no time alignment.

I went with a larger driver that was light and quick instead of a smaller driver with larger excursion. I had the room in the doors and the larger driver moving less sounded more natural. I now need exactly the opposite.

Fronts were driven by XM-2000R amp. This was heaven.

Focal Audiom 12's in the back driven by Precision Power something (don't remember model).

I still have all the equipment and need to start putting it in my Yukon XL. I was going to buy one of the wired adaptors for the iPod to go to the stock unit in the Yukon. Seems stupid to do that when $100 buys me a XA-300 to hook right to the CDX-C90 which I haven't found anything that comes close as far as preamp/volume control.

So I will be looking for another XDP-4000X for xover use. I liked that part of this.

I now need a smaller mid with a larger excursion as you mentioned since I don't want to recreate my Yukon XL door panels. I will be using the XM2000R to drive the fronts again. I am thinking about going with a true ribbon and seeing if they will hold up in the doors. I have these in my custom built speakers at home and really like the smooth upper extension that is missing in the B&Gs. Either that or some Accutons if the ribbons don't hold up.

Anyway great thread!

Thanks for you compliments.

Time alignment can be tough to set up by ear.  That's why I plan on getting mine set up with proper test equipment.  I may do it one of these days when I finally get back to working on my car.

Those Neo 3's are very nice tweeters.  They were used in a couple designs at Adire Audio.  In fact we even had a pair of their 6' tall planars. 

If you can provide some information, we should be able to help you find a good driver for you.  What bandwidth does this driver have to play in?  What size/type of enclosure?  What cone size do you want, and what mounting depth? 

I'm not a big fan of ribbons, even though they are the "in" thing right now.  I don't think they are superior to standard tweeters as any advantage that the ribbons have are balanced out by their faults IMO.  And I really don't think they would be a good choice for a vehicle because of how delicate they are.  You would be running the risk of damaging them every time you close your door.  If you want to go unconventional, then I would recommend planars like the Neo 3's.

Agrred about the ribbons being fragile in the car. I am leaning towards Accutons for tweeters. I am looking fo rsomething to go in the stock location in the door of the 2000 GMC Yukon XL. I think there is a 5 there now. I haven't torn it apart to see how much room I have to play with.

Also need to get a hold of another 4000 before I can replace the speakers.

I am certainly open to suggestions :)